


The Vest

by boopersnatchural



Series: Family Ties [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hunters & Hunting, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Young!Dean, Young!Sam, bobby is awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 16:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2116743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boopersnatchural/pseuds/boopersnatchural
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John takes Dean on his first hunt. Dean is a natural (of course), but John doesn't know how to tell his son he did good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Vest

The first time John takes Dean hunting, he puts him in a bullet-proof vest he lifted from some anonymous cop in some anonymous town. She probably won’t need it before she notices.

The thing they are hunting is just a ghost. Dean just has to shoot it with the salt gun if it shows up. No big deal. Not too dangerous. The vest won’t do anything, but John breathes a little bit easier with Dean in it.

The vest is too big, and Dean looks ridiculous in it. It’s hampering his movements and he misses his first shot. John starts yelling at him to hit the damn thing next time as he heads to the next room, looking for the body. Dean rips the vest off and tosses it in the corner.

The rest of his shots are spot on. He’s a natural, taking in the scene and reacting to it. No stress, no perfectionism, just talent. John stops watching for the ghost while he rips up the floorboards to find the bones; Dean’s got him covered. Salt and burn and done.

In the car back to the motel, Dean is smiling. John puts in Dean’s favorite cassette and drives a little faster with the windows down and the air rushing in. He’s proud of Dean. The puffy chest kind of proud. The look at what my kid did proud. He opens his mouth to tell him.

“If I put a vest on you, you leave it on. No questions. Got it, Dean?” Dean’s face falls and goes all confused. He’s silent for a minute, not looking at his dad.

"Yes, sir."

John and Dean get back to Bobby’s house. Sam runs out and right to Dean, asking so many questions. How was it? Did you kill anything? Did you get to shoot the gun? Did Dad actually let you go in with him? Are you a for real hunter now? Sam doesn’t give Dean time to answer, which is fine; Dean doesn’t feel like answering right now. When Sam finally stops talking, he looks at his big brother with his big, expectant, puppy-dog eyes.

"It was fine, Sammy. We got the ghost." Sam starts to ask more, wants the whole story, but Dean is off somehow, so he stops. He’ll wait. Maybe later Dean can tell it like a spooky story with the flashlight and everything.

John tells Bobby he has to go get supplies before he leaves for another hunt. Alone this time. Bobby glances over at Dean, whose shoulders drop as he heads into the house with his duffle, Sam trailing after him.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"That kid don’t look like nothing happened."

"He was great, Bobby. Didn’t miss a shot."

"Then why-"

"I yelled at him for taking the vest off."

Bobby rolls his eyes and walks away. He doesn’t need to hear Winchester’s excuses again. He throws over his shoulder “Go git your damn supplies.”

The Impala sounds fade away. Dean and Sam are at the couch, cleaning the guns. There should be chatter and stories and laughter, but it’s just the clicks from taking the guns apart and putting them back together. Bobby sits on the coffee table and checks over the finished salt gun.

"So, you didn’t miss a shot?" Sam looks over at his brother, awe creeping into his face.

"I missed the first one."

"Wearing that stupid vest?"

"Yeah."

"And you took it off after that?"

"Yeah, I shouldn’t have."

"Bullshit."

"Dad said-"

"I know, but he ain’t always the authority on everything." Dean shakes his head. "I’m gonna order pizza for dinner. Pepperoni okay?" Sam practically shouts yes; Dean nods his head.

John gets back as the boys are finishing up their slices.

"I got cherry pie and ice cream." - and less ammo.

John opens the pie, from a pie shop, not a gas station. It's still warm. He opens the ice cream, perfectly melted for scooping. He cuts a full quarter slice and drops two scoops on top. He grabs a clean fork and sets the plate in front of Dean. Bobby leans over when John turns back to get Sam’s piece.

"He’s trying to say he’s sorry for yelling at you. He’s trying to say he’s proud of you. Make him actually say it, boy. You don’t need to translate for him."

Dean looks at Bobby and then at John’s back. He decides. Dean picks up the fork and digs into the pie. Bobby sighs and musses Dean’s hair.

"You’re a good kid, boy, a good kid."

**Author's Note:**

> Family Ties is is a collection of stories from before Dad went on a hunting trip and didn't come back for a coupl'a days.


End file.
